Travel Guide to Staying Cool

23 July 2018

Today we have another post from our friends at Age Space as they share their top tips on staying cool when travelling.

My favourite place to be at the moment is either in the car with air con up full blast or in the chilled aisle at the supermarket, but neither are much fun and you can’t really sleep there! The Summer has arrived with full force this year and if you’re lucky enough to have booked a staycation – the temperatures are rivalling the Med. Now, we’re not going to complain and while we hear a lot in the media about cold weather concerns, the hot weather can be just as worrying, especially for those susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

If you have a coach trip planned, I suspect you’ll have a busy itinerary with lots of sightseeing and getting on and off the coach. This in itself can be tiring in the heat, so here at Age Space, we’ve pulled together our top 10 tips on keeping cool!

10 Step Guide to Staying Cool in the Heat

1. When it’s hot, try to stay out of the sun during hottest parts of the day (usually 11am–3pm) and avoid strenuous physical activity. This might seem like we’re teaching you to suck eggs, but if you are sightseeing you’ll be busy and might not listen to your body. Try to keep in the shade and rest when you first feel tired.

2. Consider ways to keep your environment cooler – if you don’t have air con, keep curtains and blinds closed in your hotel room. There may be appliances in the room that are generating heat, such as a TV, so turn them off where possible.

3. Sleeping can be hard in this heat – a lot of hotel room windows these days have safety features so they only open so far. If this is the case, keep the window ajar to allow some air in during the night. I recently stayed in a room with no air con and found dampening a flannel/towel and laying it across my forehead kept me cool enough to sleep.

4. Eat a balanced diet to help your body replace any salt you lose by sweating.

5. Try to have more cold foods, particularly salads and fruits as they contain a lot of water.

6. Be careful when eating, especially outside. Hot weather causes bacteria to multiply quickly and increases our risk of food poisoning. If you’re travelling and have food, keep it chilled and throw left overs away at the end of the day.

7. Keep hydrated. Drink 6-8 glasses of water or fruit juices a day even if you’re not thirsty and keep a bottle of water with you when you’re outdoors. You can buy some great chill bottles now which keep your drinks cold all day, it’s worth investing in one, if you’re going to be on an extended journey.

8. I know you’re on holiday and would like to indulge a little, just be mindful of alcohol, caffeine and drinks high in sugar as they will dehydrate you in the heat.

9. Always wear a hat and if possible - loose-fitting, light-coloured clothes. Opt for open-toed sandals so your feet can breathe and avoid flip flops which can be hard to walk in. Sandals that fasten with Velcro are a good idea if your feet swell up in the heat.

10. Slow down a pace and make sure you ask for help if you need it. Take advantage of tour guide and hotel staff assistance when it comes to moving luggage for example. Things might take a little longer, but it will be worth the extra care, so you can enjoy your holiday.

If you stick to the above guidelines, you shouldn’t have any problems and I hope you’ll have a lovely holiday. Just in case you need more advice on heat related problems and how to get deal with them we have some great advice on our site.

The UK Holiday Group Limited, trading as Grand UK Holidays, is an appointed representative of ITC Compliance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registration number 313486) and who are permitted to advise on and arrange general insurance contracts. VAT Number 394 3077 33